


The Vulcan Heart or The Vulcan Mind Part II

by 2_JeB_3



Series: Star Trek The Original Series; The Vulcan Texts [1]
Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Emotional Control, F/M, Kohlinar, Love, Romance, Vulcan, Vulcans, emotional breakdown
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:49:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22864321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2_JeB_3/pseuds/2_JeB_3
Summary: Spock is back on duty after his emotional breakdown over the death of his wife and child.  However; upon returning to the Enterprise, he discovers that what he remembers, may not be what actually happened!Faced with the woman he remembers as his dead wife, he begins to spiral into madness as the crew struggles keep him sane.
Relationships: Lt. Commander Scott, Lt. Commander Spock, Lt. Genara - Relationship
Series: Star Trek The Original Series; The Vulcan Texts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1643536
Kudos: 4





	1. The Prodigal Son

**Author's Note:**

> I had no intention of writing this sequel to The Vulcan Mind, but after talking with my sister it occurred to me that this would be wonderful addition to the original. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> This work is in progress and I'm letting you read it as I write it. Please do NOT gate keep with me, I will not thank you for it. Just read, follow along and enjoy.

Slowly Spock walked around his quarters, remembering it, memorizing it, feeling as if he'd been gone for centuries and not a year. Kirk stood at the door, watching him cautiously.

"I hardly knew what to do while you were gone. It was as if I'd had my right arm removed and replaced with a rubber duck." Spock peered at him over his shoulder and nodded, not really listening.

"McCoy was lonely. He didn't have anyone to insult. He's happy you're back." His attempt to garner a reaction of any kind from his first officer was failing horribly. Spock seemed to be in a daze, and not himself at all. 

"Anyway, we're glad your back! I guess I'll leave you to settle in. I've got some work to take care of in my quarters if you need me. Welcome home Spock." Again, Spock nodded. Outside Spock's quarters, McCoy was pacing. Seeing Kirk, McCoy perked up and smiled.

"Well? How is he? Has he said anything? Does he look good? Why couldn't I give him a physical before you took him to his quarters?" Kirk raised his hand and waved McCoy off. 

"Bones, he's not himself yet. It's probably going to take some time for him to get back to normal. If he ever does." McCoy's smile faded and was replaced by his set lips and raised eyebrow.

"You sure know how to knock the joy out of a situation, don't you?"

"I'm sorry Bones, but I'm worried about Spock. He seems so far away. He's not the Spock we knew before all of this happened. I want the old Spock back but I don't know how to get him back." 

"Maybe you were right to begin with, maybe all he needs is time to settle in. Relax Jim, he's among friends now!" Kirk nodded and headed for the turbo lift. 

In his quarters, Spock sat at his computer and tapped a button or two, then lost interest. He took a deep breath and walked to his bed, where he lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. His mind was calm, but his thoughts were troubling. He was told that his memories of Genara were all a figment of his imagination and that he was never married and never had a child and never obliterated the Kovelians. This could not be so. He could remember it all in detail. He could remember her scent, the feel of her body against his, her warmth, her touch, her kisses, how could it be a figment of his imagination? How could his beautiful child be a figment of his imagination? How could his mind fabricate the killing of the Kovelians? It was illogical. Then he remembered the Monks speaking to him, telling him it was an hallucination. He shook his head to clear his mind and placed a fist over his right brow, attempting to center his thoughts. Quickly, he swung his legs over and walked to his computer. There had to be some evidence that it was all true and he was determined to find it.

In his quarters, Captain Kirk sat at his desk, reading reports from Ensigns Chekov and Sulu, but his mind was not on his work. Spock was his closest friend. He could sense something was wrong with Spock even though he had undergone another Kohlinar. His personality was gone, he was too quiet, he was wooden and that was not Spock. He tossed the reports across the desk and punched the com button.

"Ensign Sulu, how far are we from Colony Alpha 5?" Sulu was silent only for a second before he answered; "Colony Alpha 5 is approximately 23 light years from our present position, Captain."

"Thank you Ensign." Kirk punched the com button again and placed his elbows on his desk and his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes he banged his fist on the table and mumbled; "There has to be a way to get him back to normal!"

The door chimed and Kirk yelled, "Come!" McCoy walked in with his hands behind his back, his eyebrow up, which usually meant he was checking on Kirk and probably had an idea.

"What is it Bones?" Kirk looked exhausted. McCoy noted his eyes were puffy, and he was slouching in his seat. 

"I was thinkin' about Spock's problem and I thought it might help if he came face to face with the real Lt. Genara." Kirk thought about that for a moment. It sounded good, but there had to be something wrong with it. What if Spock came face to face with the girl only to lose his control again? What if it was too much for him to handle and he lost himself forever?

"I'll admit it sounds good on the surface, Bones, but it could be a mistake to force him to see the truth so soon after he returned to the Enterprise. I think he needs to be carefully handled for awhile, sort of...nudge him gently into his duties. If we push him too hard, he could snap again. That's one thing I don't want to do!" McCoy had to admit that the Captain's concerns were sound, logically, but there had to be a solution.

"I still say Spock should meet her. Put them together in a working situation and observe. I could have M'Benga watching and he'd know if Spock was in danger, or for that matter, if Lt. Genara was in danger."

Kirk shrugged and put his head in his hands again. "I don't know Bones. I don't know."

"I was going to say, 'What have we got to lose', but I don't think I'll say that." McCoy reached for the bottle of saurian brandy and poured a little in a glass and handed it to the captain. Kirk looked at the liquid in the shot glass and swirled it around a bit. Then, he smiled at McCoy and knocked it back with grimace. 

"That's good stuff." He said before pushing himself up and walking out the door, leaving McCoy in his quarters.

Engineering was one of Kirks favorite places to visit on board the Enterprise, not because he particularly liked the sound of the engines, but because he could have a chat with his Chief Engineer, Mr. Scott. Scotty was standing across the room giving orders to his engineers when he saw the Captain crossing the room towards him. 

"How ken ah help ya' Capt'n?"

"I need to speak with Lt. Genara." Scotty smiled the smile of a man in love. His face became soft and pleasant as he turned and pointed at the walkway above them. "She's up there, ahhh she's a fine lass and uh hard worker too!" Kirk smiled. 

"Scotty, I get it, you're in love. I just want to talk with her, if you don't mind." Scotty scaled the steps up to the walkway like a pro and in less than a moment he returned with the young woman dressed in a red and black uniform. She was human, and a dark haired beauty with dark brown eyes. She peered at the Captain, searching his face for clues as to his reasons for asking for her by name. He showed no clues.

"Lt. Genara, I have a problem and I need you to help me fix it." Genara searched his face again for clues, still she saw none, but her gut told her this was going to complicated.

"I'll do whatever I can Captain. May I ask what it is you need me to do?" Scotty was standing close by and overheard the conversation. Being a good Scotsman, he could not resist enquiring. 

"Exactly whut **is** it yoo want her-r-r to do?" Kirk began to feel outnumber


	2. Over Exposure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy decide to slowly expose Spock to reality in hopes of bringing him back to normal. This is a good idea?

Morning came and Kirk made a visit to Spock's quarters where he hoped to prepare him for his duties of the day. Upon arrival, he found Spock sitting at his desk, a blank expression on his face, his computer on and a picture of Lt. Genara glowing brightly on the screen. Kirk sidled over to the extra chair and waved a hand in front of Spock's face. Spock blinked when he realized he was not alone.

"Captain? Jim! I did not realize you were here."

"Spock, you've got work to do today, are you up for it?" Spock nodded numbly. 

"I am quite well. I can perform my duties quite adequately." Still his expression was blank. Kirk was not at all sure that his plan was a good one, he rubbed his chin with indecision. How could he bring Spock back to normal? One thing was for sure, something had to be done and soon.

"Spock, I've found you an assistant to help you while you settle in to your duties." Spock nodded. Kirk punched the com button and said, "Come in Lt."

The doors to Spock's quarters slid aside to reveal Lt. Genara who stepped forward and stood at attention. "Reporting for duty sir."

Spock stood up, as gentlemen do, but he was unsteady on his feet, unable to take his eyes off the girl who was the model for his delusions. Spock stammered; 

"Captain, I do not think this would be an appropriate working relationship. It would be much better if I were to work alone." Kirk placed a calming hand on Spock's shoulder and, in the voice of a father, he said;

"Spock, consider it an order." Spock nodded.

Kirk left the room with one last glance over his shoulder and then a secret wink at the girl, who nodded almost imperceptibly. 

"Mr. Spock, I believe it would be a very good idea to begin working here and then, when you're feeling up for it, we can work on the bridge." She waited for him to acknowledge her words, but he sat with his eyes on the opposite wall. 

"Mr. Spock?" He forced himself to look at her, his heart lurched in his side and he bolted through the door and down the corridor to the turbo lift. Genara stood, alone in his quarters, wondering what to do next. 

On the bridge, Kirk was signing the morning reports when the turbo lift opened and Spock lunged out and paused before walking slowly to his station. Captain Kirk watched him with concern. Standing from the captain's chair, he slowly walked to Spock's side so that no one would suspect anything was out of place. 

"Spock, where is your assistant?" Spock looked over his shoulder at his captain and friend and whispered; "Jim, I cannot...I am unable to...I cannot!" Kirk dropped his head and smiled a kindly smile.

"Spock, you must face her sometime, better sooner than later, right?" Spock took a sharp intake of breath and said, "Later would be preferable." Kirk knew that tone of voice, it meant 'Don't interfere.'

"She's your assistant and as I said before, consider that an order." Spock did not acknowledge this order instead, he turned back to his console and pouted as only a Vulcan could.

Kirk found Genara walking through the corridor alone. Taking her by the arm he pulled her into the door of the situation room and asked; "What happened?" 

"I told him we should work in his quarters for awhile, until he was ready to face duties on the bridge and he bolted through the door like a frightened deer!" Kirk smiled a frustrated but amused smile. On one hand, he felt sorry for his friend and understood what he was going through, but on the other hand, he felt sorry for this young girl who just wanted to do her duty without complications. He patted her on the back gently and said, "Why don't you go about your regular duties until you hear from me, alright?" 

She nodded. "Yes. Captain."

As she exited the situation room, Kirk sank into the seat nearest him. After a few moments of thought, he called McCoy and Scott to the room for a conference. McCoy arrived first and as usual he had to kvetch about being taken away from sickbay. 

"Jim, I was in the middle of some cultures and slides when you called, now what's so all fired important that I had to come here? Wait, let me guess, Spock!" Kirk indulged him and quietly asked him to be seated. In a moment or two, Scotty arrived and he too began to complain about being dragged away from his precious engines. Kirk raised his hands in resignation but said, "Gentlemen, I need your help!" Both men ceased their rants and sat quietly, awaiting the Captains explanation.

"I attempted to introduce Spock to Lt. Genara and he 'bolted through the door like a frightened deer.' That is a direct quote from the young lady herself, and when I ordered Spock to work with her, he ignored my order. Meanwhile, the young lady was wandering the corridor confused and lost, what now?" McCoy pursed his lips and looked to Scott for any ideas. Scotty tapped the table with his stylus and began to perspire along his brow. 

"Gentlemen, I called you hear for ideas, not to hear the bulkhead groan!" 

"Jim, we are as concerned about Spock as you are, but we just don't know what to do. The last idea I had obviously failed." Scotty nodded and added, "Ahnd ah don' think ah like the idea of puttin' muh own lassy in that situation anyway." Kirk sighed.

"Mr. Scott, Mr. Spock is my first officer, he's our friend and he's in trouble. Get romance off your brain long enough to find a better solution!" "Aye Captain." Scotty bit the side of his lip.

"Captain, I think its time Spock was given a physical and maybe, a psychological exam. Then maybe we'd know which way we could go with this." Kirk could not think of a better idea so he nodded his approval.

"I'll call him to the sickbay, but you make it an order, Jim. He's got to show up!" Kirk nodded again. "I'll drag him there personally, if I have to." 

"Drag him, use a whip and a chair if you have to, but just get him there!"

McCoy called for Spock to come to sickbay and Spock straightened his spine, looking nonplussed. Peering over his shoulder at Kirk he immediately knew what was going on and he resented it. 

"Captain, I must protest. I do not need a physical. I am quite well." Kirk furrowed his brow, he did not need the aggravation of his officers arguing about every order and every decision he made. Enough was enough!

"Spock. I order you to go to sickbay and to submit to a full physical including a psychological examination. Don't make me call security to accompany you." Spock stood straight and stiff. "Yes Captain." He walked sulkily to the turbo lift and glared at the captain before the doors slid closed. 


	3. All Good Things

Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Scotty were just finishing their meal when Kirk received a call from the communications officer, Lt. Uhura. 

"Captain Kirk, please respond!"

Kirk jumped to his feet and answered the call.

"Yes, Uhura?"

"Captain, sensors have picked up an anomaly approaching from coordinates 00.2375. It appears to be a ship."

"Alright, I'm on my way. Kirk out." 

"Well, gentlemen? If you would be so kind as to join me on the bridge?" The room cleared as all hands walked quickly to the turbo lift and headed to the bridge.

When the turbo lift doors opened, they revealed a well ordered bridge with a slight rise in excitement. Uhura sat at the communications console with her receiver in her ear, listening intently to the signals in space. Swiveling in her seat to greet the officers, she said;

"Captain, I received a garbled message that the U.T. was unable to decipher. I've tried to hail them on all frequencies to let them know we mean them no harm, but they do not respond." Kirk nodded.

"Alright Uhura, keep trying on all sub-space frequencies as well." 

"Spock? Got anything?" Mr. Spock was concentrating his attention on his hooded viewer and upon hearing the Captain's question, he turned to answer; 

"Captain, it is a ship approaching at sub-light speed, it measures in at 100 meters long and 75 meters in width. It is carrying particle weaponry and is no match for the Enterprise. However, we are being scanned as we speak. It's configuration does not match any in the Starfleet data base, neither in the Vulcan data base. It would appear we are meeting a new species for the very first time."

"Thank you Mr. Spock. Mr. Sulu, approach the ship slow and easy with extreme caution. If you see them making a move to fire on us, veer off about 22 degrees and stay put until further notice from me." 

"Aye, aye Captain."

"Lt. Uhura, call Lt. Genara to the bridge." 

"Aye, Sir." 

"Lt. Genara, report to the bridge immediately. Lt. Genara, report to the bridge immediately!"

Spock swung around, nearly knocking himself off his feet to glare at Kirk. Then, realizing the spectacle he was presenting to the bridge crew, he snapped back to the hooded viewer and buried his face inside it. Kirk saw the whole episode through his peripheral vision and said nothing. He wondered how Spock would handle himself through these next few minutes of tension. In his mind, he hoped Spock would come through with flying colors, but he knew that may not be the case.

Lt. Genara exited the turbo lift and stood by the captain's chair at attention. "Lt. Genara reporting for duty sir."

" Lt. I want you see what you can sense from our friends out there. See if they're friendly or not. Can you do that for me?" The Lieutenant looked a little confused. She blinked hard for a moment and then stammered, "I-I- don't know what you mean, sir." 

"I want you to sense their presence and tell me if they are friendly or unfriendly. That's simple enough, isn't it?" 

Genara opened and closed her mouth a few times like a fish out of water but turned to look at the alien ship anyway. "I'm sorry sir, I don't know how you expect me to do that!"

Kirk smiled and said, "Don't worry Lieutenant, it was an experiment gone wrong. You may return to your duties."

Spock stood, unsteady on his feet, he knew that what Kirk had just done was for his benefit. Anger, if it could be called anger, was bubbling to the surface. Spock had to get control over his emotions immediately. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds and remembered his teachers words. As those words played in his mind, his body began to release its tension and Spock relaxed. He opened his eyes and read the view screen. 

"Captain. Sensors are picking up frantic movement inside the hull of the ship." He said with an edge he had not meant to convey.

Kirk heard the edge in his first officer's voice but kept things professional. "Hmmmm. Frantic movement, eh? Perhaps our presence isn't what they wanted. Uhura, ship-to-ship contact. I want to speak to our visitors myself."

"Aye Sir. Ship-to-ship. Com frequencies open!"

"Alien ship! This is Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. We are here on a peaceful mission of exploration and contact with alien races. We are eager to make contact with you."

"No answer Captain." 

"Again!" Uhura pressed the red button and nodded.

"If you are in need of help or supplies, we would be happy to be of assistance. Please respond. Kirk out."

Uhura shook her head. 

Kirk decided to stop trying for a few moments and swung himself around the railings to stand near Spock at his science console. "Spock, can you scan the interior of their ship, see if there's anything in it that might make them a little nervous to be contacted, if you know what I mean." Spock nodded. "You mean illegal. Scanning their ships interior."

Kirk waited by his first officer's side.

"There is a large cargo of Trillium. I believe it is illegal to mine trillium in this sector of the galaxy." Suddenly, Spock had a what could only be described as a moment of deja vu. This all seemed so very familiar to him. Then it dawned on him, this was the way it happened before when they, allegedly, encountered the Kovelians. He bit is lip, trying to decide whether or not to tell his Captain. Everything he had gone through was supposed to be an hallucination, it occurred to him that Kirk would not take him seriously. However, it was his duty to report everything he knew. It was a big chance to take after all he had gone through, to tell Kirk that it was happening again, this time in reality. His mind began to run through the events of his hallucination and Lt. Genara was by his side, telling the Captain all she could sense from the aliens with her empathic abilities. He shook his head and grabbed his temples, 'NO!' He thought, 'This is NOT REAL!' He slumped over and grabbed the edge of his console.

"Spock! Are you alright?" Kirk grabbed Spock by the shoulders and held tightly. "Spock?"

"I'm alright. I'm quite well. Perhaps I'd better go to my quarters for rest?" Kirk nodded. "I'm sending Bones to give you a check up, maybe he can give you something to help you sleep." Spock waved him off as he stumbled to the turbo lift and disappeared behind the doors.

Kirk jammed his hand on the com button of his command chair and said, "Dr. McCoy!" 

"McCoy here." 

"Bones, get to Spock's quarters and check him over. He's had some sort of attack on the bridge. Maybe you can give him something to make him sleep. Kirk out."

McCoy grabbed his hip bag and scrambled to Spock's quarters and rang the door tone. Spock called out in a raspy tired voice, "Come!" 

"Spock! What the devil happened up there?" Spock was sitting at his computer with his head in his hands looking the worse for wear.

"Doctor, I'm fine. I merely had a moment regression that was followed by a moment of clarity. I shall be quite well as long as I can rest." McCoy made a sniffing sound of indignation and pursed his lips. 

"Maybe you'd like to let me do my job and be a doctor? Maybe you could be a patient for a few minutes?" Spock nodded, not wanting to trade jibes with the doctor this time. But still, he jabbed McCoy's ego, just a little.

"As long as you do not inject me with your noxious potions and upset my stomach once again!" Running the medical scanner over Spock with his eyebrow raised. Then he made a few adjustments to the unit and scanned again. 

"Well, your heart is beating at 200 beats per minute and your blood pressure is almost nonexistent. You seem to be fine. Did you sleep last night?" 

"No. I could not sleep. My mind is not calm." This was quite a confession for Spock. McCoy knew it must be worrying him or he would not have confessed it so easily.

"I'm giving you a shot, made for Vulcans, to help you sleep. Now lay down on your bed and try to relax." Injecting Spock with the hypospray of Vulcan medicine, Spock relented and lay back on his bed, his eyes already beginning to close. "Tell Jim, the alien ship is Kovelian...must not interact with...them.." And he was asleep.

"Atta' boy Spock. Just rest your pointed ears for awhile!"

McCoy went to the bridge to give Kirk his report on Spock. 

"Bones! How is he?" Kirk was very concerned for Spock's well being and if he could not get a handle on what was bothering Spock, he might just lose the best first officer in Starfleet. He could not let that happen!

"Well, he seems healthy enough but he didn't sleep last night. I gave him something to make him sleep but, I don't know Jim. Spock doesn't like to tell me anything, ever, but he just confessed to not sleeping. For Spock to confide in me, it must be something serious. I think we need to keep an eye on him. And I'll tell ya' somethin' else, we need to keep that young lieutenant away from him for awhile too. He just said that those aliens are Kovelians and we shouldn't interact with them." Kirk's brows went up quickly. If Spock was thinking the way he did before, this could be the breaking point.

"Maybe he should be confined to quarters for a week or two?" McCoy shrugged. "Maybe. If he'll sit still for it."

"I'll make it an order he can't refuse!" 

"Well, whatever you do, keep me informed. I'm goin' back to sickbay."

In his quarters, Spock slept fitfully. He thrashed about in his bed, beads of sweat dotting his face, as he dreamed of killing the Kovelians. Then, in his mind's eye, he saw HIS Genara. She was standing in front of him, Vulcan, soft and caring, her eyes, dark and filled with love. He took her into his arms and made love to her but the moment melted away and in its place she was lying on the floor of the Kovelian ship, their dead baby in her arms, blood covering the floor. He put his fist through the bulkhead before waking with a start. He must see her!

Rushing from his quarters he headed for E deck. Bumping into crewmen and corners, he suddenly found himself standing in front of her quarters. He rang the door tone and a soft lilting voice called out, "Come in!"

The doors slid open and there, before him, was the human embodiment of his love, she was wearing a soft blue gown that flowed like water. He entered the room like a schoolboy with a crush. She waited for the officer to speak, yet he said nothing. He stood there, looking at her with a hunger in his eyes that frightened her.

"I. I have come to speak with you." He said, stammering a little. 

"Please, sit down Mr. Spock." He sat gingerly in a chair opposite her, staring at the floor for a moment.

"I. How are you? Are you well?" This took her off guard. Mr. Spock, a Vulcan, was in her quarters asking if she was well? "I'm fine, sir! Can I help you?" Spock knew this was not going as planned and he did not have a clue how to change it to his advantage. Charging to his feet, he left the room and stumbled his way back to his quarters where he collapsed against the wall, sobbing. 

After several minutes, his door chimed and he did not wish to answer it. Vulcans were not supposed to cry! He wiped his tears away and stood, forcing himself to normalcy and answered, "Come." Lt. Genara, dressed in her uniform, entered his private room and said;

"Mr. Spock, I'm sorry if I keep saying all the wrong things. I don't mean to. I want to help you if I can. What can I do?" Without thinking, Spock took her into his arms and kissed her longingly. She submitted to his kiss and melted into his arms. When the kiss ended, Spock smiled warmly down at the girl in his arms. He picked her up and carried her to his bed and made love to her.


	4. Paying The Piper

Spock awoke to find Genara in his arms. He smiled as he snuggled closer and realized that he was experiencing strong emotions and liked it! He began to wonder why Vulcans had done away with emotions. Kissing the nape of her neck, she wiggled closer to him with a happy smile on her face. Her body was warm and inviting, then it occurred to him that he was not supposed to be doing this. She was Commander Scotts female and he had just betrayed him. A pang of remorse and guilt roiled in his gut. Then, just as quickly, he relaxed. 'Who cares? Scotty can find another girl!'

Grabbing her shoulder, he rolled her over to face him and she opened her eyes to see Spock, smiling down at her. She ran her hand over the nape of his neck and then up and over his cheek. Spock shuddered with pleasure. 

"I am sorry our child did not live." Genara's smile faded. What was he talking about? "I'm afraid I don't understand what your talking about."

"Our child, Sarek! He did not live! But we will have another!" He pulled her closer and she began to feel trapped by a madman. How could she extricate herself from him safely? She knew there was one thing she must **not** do and that was struggle. She decided it would be best to play along until she could leave the room and report to the Captain.

"Oh, yes. Our child. Are you sure you want to have another so soon?" Spock nuzzled her cheek, smiling. "Yes. I want to try for another right away. Why did you not keep your Vulcan appearance? Was it too painful for you?" She thought it over and answered, "Yes, it was too painful. I'm sorry if it upsets you." 

"Nothing upsets me now. Not now that I have you back." He said as he began run his hand up her thigh. "Spock! I have to go on duty in a few minutes and I need to shower and change. I've got to get back to my quarters, I'm sorry!" He shrugged and let go of her, slowly.

"I want you back after your shift is over." She nodded and kissed him. As soon as she was outside his door she ran to the bridge and requested a private conversation with Captain Kirk.

Kirk listened to her story with a furrowed brow. He knew Spock's condition was serious and becoming more so as time went on. He called McCoy to situation room and briefed him on current events. McCoy was highly agitated. "Lieutenant! Didn't you know he was unstable?" She nodded. "I knew he was having problems, and I felt badly for him. When he came to my quarters and couldn't even put two words together, he looked so lost and alone. I went to his quarters to see if I could help in some way and it just happened."

"Well, you helped him alright! You helped him but good!" Kirk calmed McCoy and turned his attention to the girl. "Lieutenant, did he say anything that would lead you to believe he needs immediate help?"

"Yes, sir! He said he wanted to have another baby with me as soon as possible! He asked me why I changed my Vulcan appearance! I didn't know what he was talking about so I played along. Sir, he needs help, now!" Kirk nodded in agreement, the trouble was, how could he help Spock? He didn't know. Maybe they should take him back to Vulcan and let the Monks do what they do best. Then again, they had their turn and they failed. 

"McCoy, get Doctor M'Benga on the case and see if there's anything that can be done on board the Enterprise to bring Spock back to his senses!" McCoy nodded and left for sickbay. 

"Lieutenant, I want you to stay as far away from Spock as you can! Even if you have to shut yourself away in a Jeffrey's tube for the duration. AND no more canoodling!" She nodded and left the room.

Somedays, Kirk couldn't figure out how he managed to keep it all together as well as he did.

One hour later Kirk received a visit from Mister Scott who looked as mad as a hornet and twice as mean. Apparently, he had caught wind of the tryst between his girlfriend and Spock. This was going to be fun.

"Captain Kirk! Ah wish to see you privately!" Kirk nodded and lead Scotty to the situation room. 'This room is becoming my home away from home!" He mused.

"Captain, A've always been uh gentleman, ahnd a've always tried tah understand when ah man is in trouble, the things he does are not of his own doin', but this takes the cake! Ah want satisfaction from that pointed eared maniac ahnd ah want it now!" Kirk pushed Scotty into a chair and glared at him like a father with his teenaged son.

"Scotty! Spock isn't himself! He doesn't really know what he's doing! He thinks Genara was his wife and that he's just gotten her back from the dead! You cannot go around picking fights with a man who isn't right in his head!"

"Aye, but this is coming awful close to being one o' those times when all reason goes right out the window ahn ah man takes action anyways!" 

"Scotty! I'm ordering you to leave Spock alone! We've got to find a way to bring him back to his senses!"

"Well maybe ah good belt in the chops would be the best thing for it!" Scotty's face was beet red and his fists were clenched. He was on his feet and standing like a man in the Royal Army corp, his shoulders back so far his chest looked like a robins red breast. Scotty was out for green blood! 

"I'm warning you Mister! If you lay one fist on Spock, I'll bust you down to ensign! And that's a promise!" Scotty thought it over, he didn't want to chance losing his warp engines for anyone. He relaxed a little and said, "Alright. Yah have muh word as an officer ahnd ah gentleman. BUT if he goes any further, ah won't be responsible for muh actions!" 

Kirk nodded and said, "Dismissed." Scotty stormed out the room and back to Engineering.

As the day progressed and Spock reported for duty, Kirk kept a watchful eye on him from the Captain's chair. Spock seemed quite normal, he worked, he answered questions, all quite logically. Scotty reported for duty on the bridge so Kirk began watching between them and was grateful their consoles were a room apart. Scotty did not make any moves against Spock, but glared at him most of the day from across the room. Spock glanced at Scotty and ignored him. It would almost be entertaining if it was not for the possible danger should the two get into a fight. Finally the day came to an end and just as Kirk was off to his quarters, McCoy called him to sickbay.

Entering sickbay, "What is it Bones, I'm due for a sleep." 

"Doctor M'Benga wanted to speak with you." M'Benga appeared from around the corner carrying a tablet and a stylus. He stood next to Kirk and pointed to some Vulcan text which Kirk could not read. He translated;

"This says that what Spock is experiencing is a form of shock. He must be brought back to Vulcan so he can be quarantined and reprogrammed to think logically." Kirk hated the word "reprogrammed" but he saw the logic in this method. However, he had just been reprogrammed for logic and it failed. "Doctor, how do you account for the fact that he has returned from 'reprogramming' and it failed?" M'Benga shrugged. "I don't know, but I can guess. He's half human and while he was thinking he had a wife and child, he could be forgiven for behaving in a human way. Now, his brain cannot accept the fact that it wasn't real and he has to go back to being unemotional, all the while trying to convince himself that the marriage never happened. That's a lot to accept! He may need to have, not only Vulcan help, but human help too. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have our own psychiatrists analyze him and talk with him. I would suggest, however that they sedate him while they do so. If they say anything he does not want to hear, he may become violent."

Kirk thought it over. It all sounded right and logical. Would Spock benefit from having human psychiatric help too? I couldn't hurt to try...he hoped. Punching the com button with the heal of his hand he called; "Mister Spock, report to sickbay. Mister Spock, report to sickbay.' There was no answer. "Mister Spock, respond!" Still no answer.

Kirk jumped into action. "Security do a search for Mister Spock! When you find him, escort him to sickbay!" "Aye, Sir." was the reply.

Security searched for ten minutes before Sulu reported that someone had taken a shuttlecraft without clearance and had left the ship. Lieutenant Genara was missing as well.


	5. Hide And Seek

On the shuttlecraft Galileo Seven, Spock sat at the controls and silently piloted her towards the Romulan Neutral zone while Lieutenant Genara lay unconscious on the deck. Dressed in Vulcan clothing, He saw a way of hiding so the Enterprise could not find them. Spock headed for a nebula and aimed right for it's center, navigating around interspatial debris, some planetary rocks as large as the Enterprise. Sensors on board were reading the Enterprise in pursuit and closing fast. Since the Shuttlecraft could only manage warp factor one at best, Spock knew he needed to be clever to escape Captain Kirk's pursuit.

Genara moaned softly from the deck and Spock turned to see her awakening from his nerve pinch. She raised herself up on one shoulder and pushed her hair off her face. Looking around, she realized she was on board the Shuttlecraft and she spoke; "Oh no. Oh nooo! Mister Spock! What are you doing? Where are you taking me?" Spock remained calm and continued to pilot the craft through the debris towards the nebula. 

Rising to her feet, she stumbled unsteadily towards Spock and looked out of the port window. "Isn't this near the Romulan Neutral zone? Commander! We could be killed!" Still he remained silent. Suddenly, her training began to kick in and she quietly looked about for something to knock him out with, or perhaps a way of shutting down the shuttlecraft engines. There was not much around to use for this purpose, only several seats which were bolted to the floor. Spock observed her through his peripheral vision and said, "Genara, sit. There is nothing you can do. I'm taking you to a place of safety where we can be together, alone. I'm finished with Starfleet and the Federation. I want to be with you."

Genara could not believe here ears! "Do you realize what you're doing? You're taking me prisoner and forcing me to go where I do not wish to go, and you're expecting me to be someone I'm not!" Spock heard her words and a small pang hit him in the gut. What was she saying? His brow furrowed. "You will understand when we arrive at our destination. We will be happy together, you'll see." She sat in the nav seat and looked him in the eyes, "Mister Spock. Commander Spock. I am not the woman you were married to. We never met until you came back to the Enterprise from Vulcan a week ago. I've never had any children, and I've never had a baby with you. I've never been a Vulcan and I'm not half Vulcan. You must believe me!" Spock's expression changed from sanguine to angry.

"STOP TALKING! You don't know what you're saying! YOU ARE MY WIFE!" He pushed her off the seat and into the floor, roughly. Genara decided that her truth tactic had failed miserably and she had better not try it again. 

The shuttlecraft veered off course and hit a small meteor, lurching aft, Spock struggled to get back on course and get through the debris field. He checked the panel to find the Enterprise gaining on them. Using the phasers, he began to fire on the debris, breaking it to pieces and clearing it easily. The nebula was a mere 200 Km's away and he could make it in 3 minutes as long as nothing unforeseen went wrong. 

Genara thought furiously, what could she do to stop this, to stop Spock? She went to the back of the shuttlecraft and entered the back compartment. Pulling a console door off, she accessed the onboard phasers. She set her phaser on heavy stun and approached Spock quietly from behind. Spock reached into his lap and pulled out a phaser and stunned her quickly. She fell to the deck and lay unconscious once again. He was disappointed in her for wanting to escape him, but he understood that as an officer, she had to attempt an escape, it would look good if they were taken into custody.

Finally, they reached the edge of the debris and headed quickly to a planet on the Romulan side of the Neutral Zone. 

On board the Enterprise, Kirk sat in the command chair biting his lip as they attempted to navigate the debris field. "Mister Sulu, fire phasers and clear a path! There's no time to lose, we HAVE to get them back!"

The shuttlecraft entered the atmosphere of the Menchara class planet that shined a deep orange in the sun. He knew this planet would be vastly different from Earth, but he was sure he and Genara could adjust to the differences. Just a few more meters down and he could begin preparing for the landing...

After a run-in with a patch of turbulence, they glided down to the ground smoothly and gently. Spock secured the ship and opened the hatch and breathed the air. It was clean, cool and crisp! He gather Genara into his arms and carried her outside for air. As she came to, Spock began to talk to her as if nothing had happened.

"This is our new home! Isn't it beautiful? You always said you liked this shade of orange, pumpkin spice is what you called it, isn't it?" She looked around and had to admit it was beautiful, but she also knew that she did not want to live here with a mad Vulcan. She struggled to her feet until Spock took her hands and lifted her up. She did have feelings for him, the time they spent together in his quarters was wonderful and amazing, but he needed mental help and if they stayed on this planet, he was not going to get it.

"Spock, where will be live? We have no home, no food, no beds, nothing to keep us warm. I don't see any water, no rivers, no streams, no lakes...How can we live here?" Spock grabbed a tricorder and scanned the landscape. "There's water a half a kilometer in that direction. I can build us a house, but until I do, we'll live in the shuttlecraft." Genara did not want to point out anything that would ruin their chances of being saved but she opened her mouth and said, "The Shuttlecraft can be traced." This was out of her mouth before she could even think and as soon as she said it, she wanted to cut her own tongue out. 

Spock grinned. "Good thinking! We'll have to destroy the shuttlecraft, after we've cannibalized it, of course." He went into the craft and began disassembling it, one chair at a time. 

Genara suddenly had an idea and followed him inside to implement it before he could see her. As Spock carried a chair outside to the vast field, she pressed the distress call button and then walked swiftly to remove the bolts from the other seats in the shuttlecraft.

After all of the seats had been removed, Genara suggested they begin removing the computers and components of the back compartment and Spock agreed, all the while, the distress call continued to beep over the subspace frequencies and she hoped Uhura had received it!

On the bridge of the Enterprise, Kirk was gnawing on his knuckles and feeling helpless. The debris field had been cleared but there were several M-class planets to scan and they had very little time to scan them. He punched his arm rest and said, "Where could they be?"

"Cepten! I'm peeking up a warp signature! Eet is the shuttlecraft!" Mr. Chekov said as he peered into Spock's hooded viewer. 

"Captain Kirk! I've got a distress signal! It's faint, but it's there!" Kirk smiled. Genara had taken matters into her own hands. Now, he could retrieve Spock and get him the help he needed!

"Lieutenant, trace that signal as soon as it's strong enough. Chekov, keep your eyes on that warp signature and follow that trail!"

The shuttlecraft was nearly bare and Genara knew she could not hide her treachery any longer as Mr. Spock had decided to turn his attention to the Navigation computer. 

Spock took one look and whirled about to glare at her with fury. "WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME? WHY?" She backed away from him towards the back of the shuttlecraft, terrified of what an angry, crazed Vulcan could do to her. He advanced upon her and lurched forward and grabbed her arms, hurting her. She cried out in pain as he shook her and growled, "YOU TREACHEROUS WENCH! YOU'VE RUINED OUR CHANCES TO BE HAPPY!" Without thinking, she balled up her fist and punched him in the jaw, hard. If it had been a human man, he would have stumbled and fallen, but Spock was not fully human and he did not stumble and fall, but he did take a stunned step back. Something changed in his expression that gave her hope. She balled up her fist again and landed another right cross to his jaw. Spock shook his head to clear it. He softened his demeanor and closed his eyes. 

Clarity flooded Spock's mind. He was on an alien planet inside the Romulan Neutral Zone with a girl he barely knew and he had not been thinking clearly. "Lieutenant, I must apologize for my actions. I do not think that I am well." She slumped on the deck and buried her face in her hands, breathing a sigh of relief. 

"Mr. Spock, I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear you say those words." Spock knelt before her on one knee and said, "Did I harm you in any way?" She rubbed the tops of her arms and said, "Just a bruise or two, I'll be fine." He nodded. He decided it was a good time to reassemble the shuttlecraft so the two officers cooperated to do just that.

Within an hour, the Enterprise had located them and had beamed them aboard, the shuttlecraft destroyed by phaser fire to keep it out of Romulan hands. Spock was ordered to sickbay where he was subjected to psychological tests and intensive therapy.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Call To War

by 2_JeB_3 

Just as the Enterprise was leaving the Romulan Neutral Zone, Mr. Kyle, who was sitting at the Nav. console, reported a ship approaching from the direction of the Federation side of the Neutral Zone. Kirk sat up straight in his chair and order Sulu to take the Enterprise across the border at Warp 7. Sulu complied, but as soon as he did, the ship appeared around a meteor and revealed itself to be a Klingon bird of prey, and they seemed to be hiding. Kirk knew this was not an optimum situation to find themselves, but he was determined to make it work to his advantage.

"Lt. Uhura, open hailing frequencies to the Klingon ship."

"Aye Sir. Hailing frequencies open Sir."

"Klingon ship, this is Captain James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise. Are you in trouble? If you need assistance, we would be happy to help you."

"No response sir."

"I realize our peoples have not been adept at friendship together, but we are still willing to help when you are in need. Please respond."

"Message coming over subspace frequency one sir. Patching it through, -coming up on the screen." The bridge viewscreen wavered and a Klingon appeared, looking dour and mean. He stared at Kirk for a moment in silence and then said,

"Well, if it isn't Starfleet. What makes you think we need any help from Starfleet? We are KLINGONS! We need help from NO ONE!" Kirk grimaced.

"Very well, but now I have to ask myself, what is a Klingon Bird of Prey doing by the border of the Romulan Neutral Zone? And I keep getting the same answer; Nothing good. What are you up to?"

"I am KOROTH of the Klingon High Command and I do NOT answer to you, EARTHER!" 

"No, you do not answer to me, but I have a suspicion, nonetheless, that you are up to something. I'll be keeping my eye on you, Commander Koroth!" Koroth looked decidedly incensed until a thought dawned on him.

"Captain James T. Kirk, I feel it is MY duty to ask YOU what YOU are doing coming from the Romulan side of the Romulan Neutral Zone!" Kirk's smile faded. This was awkward and he was not quite sure how to get out of it. He thought furiously.

"Commander Koroth, perhaps we each have a reason to part company without incident?" Koroth grinned.

"Perhaps we do. Then again, perhaps I am in the mood to make you beg!"

"And perhaps I'M in the mood to call the Federation and have all of our Starships meet us at the Neutral Zone?" Koroth's smiled faded. It was what is called a Mexican standoff and both knew it.

Koroth had enough of the cat and mouse game and screamed, "FIRE!" And the Klingon Bird of Prey fired on the Enterprise, knocking out its port nacell. Scotty reported the nacells injury and Kirk ordered Sulu to pursue the Klingon ship as it went to warp. Sulu complied but the Klingon ship vented a plasma stream right into the Enterprises path and their plasma entered the vents of the Enterprise, knocking out the engines.

"Captain, the engines are flooded with their warp plasma! We'll need tah flush out the manifolds manually. That'll take aboot ahn hour... ahnd it shorted out the Engineerin' console here on the the bridge. Ah'll need Mr. Kyle tah help me reroute the Engineerin' console through life support so we cahn get the engine's started again." Kirk gritted his teeth.

"Well do it! Mr. Kyle, help Mr. Scott! Mr. Chekov! Report to the bridge!" Chekov arrived and took his place at the Nav. console as Mr. Kyle removed the panel under the Engineering console and, lying on his back, he began to solder the components.

"Uhura, open a channel to Starfleet, code 3."

"Yes sir, code 3." Spock called the bridge and asked, "Captain, is there anything I can do?" Kirk wished he could allow it, but Spock was still recovering and he was recovering nicely. He did not want to rush things and do any harm to Spock. "Sorry Spock, but you need to be where you are. We'll handle it."

Spock sat in his quarters and considered the situation from all logical angles. Kirk was his friend and he wanted to have his first officer back in one piece. But the Enterprise was in danger and an extra pair of hands and eyes would be helpful. Surely now was the time to take matters into his own hands. He went to the door of his quarters and as it slid open, a security guard greeted him with a phaser. Spock nodded to the security guard and asked if he could call Dr. M'Benga and that his com button was in disrepair. The Security officer gave him a suspicious look then turned to the com button on the wall behind him and was about to punch the button when Spock gave him a nerve pinch just over his right shoulder. The guard crumpled, his eyes crossing, and Spock dragged him into his quarters and locked the door behind him. Spock walked calmly but purposefully to the turbo-lift and then to the bridge. 

Kirk was standing behind Sulu as Scotty was explaining the situation with the warp engines when the turbo-lift doors opened and spit out his first officer. Spock did not look at the Captain as he took his station and the ensign who had been manning it looked to Kirk for guidance. Kirk nodded and the ensign moved to another console. 

"Spock. I believe I told you to stay in your quarters, did I not?" Spock stood partially at attention and said, "Yes Captain, you did. But you need me and I am well enough to help until the situation has been resolved." Kirk nodded thoughtfully. "Very well, but if I say you need to go back to your quarters, I want you to go back to your quarters. Understand?" Spock nodded but he was not convincing Kirk.

"I've called Starfleet and explained our situation. They're sending the Ptolemy to help us out and Starfleet wants us to contact the Klingon High Command and demand answers. We're looking at a possible war, Spock." Spock considered the possibilities of a war with the Klingons and said, "This could be most damaging for the Federation." 

Kirk nodded and took a deep breath. "Yeeesss. But I don't have any options at this moment. I've GOT to find a way to resolve this without starting a war but I'm not sure how to do it." Spock nodded.

Within six hours, the Ptolemy arrived and their service crews and engineers boarded the Enterprise against Scotty's wishes and began repairs. The repairs to Enterprise only took five hours and the Enterprise was ready to follow the Klingons warp trail. The Captain of the Ptolemy voiced his concerns.

"Jim, no one wants a war. You've got to handle the Klingons with kid gloves or we'll all be in it up to our eyebrows and beyond!"

"I know Jeff. But we cannot let the Klingons get away with being on our side of the neutral zone doing...whatever it was they were doing. Hopefully we can find out what that was and whether or not it was legitimate, but my belly is burning and that's a sign that whatever they were doing was not good." 

"I feel for ya, Jim. I don't envy your position. If it makes you feel any better, Starfleet has ordered us to follow you into the neutral zone for back up. I can't say it makes me feel better. I'd rather be scrubbing manifolds than facing the Klingons and possibly the Romulans too, AND in their territory!"

"I wish I'd never laid eyes on a either a Klingon or a Romulan! But that's life!" Both Captains drank their Saurean brandy before parting to their prospective ships.

Spock stayed on duty for several hours knowing full well that Kirk needed his expertise. Ensign Chekov was good at his job, but he was young and he was needed at navigations. During the course of the day, Lieutenant Genara came to the bridge several times which prompted Spock to blush a deep green. He kept his back to the girl until she left the bridge and kept his professional demeanor as well. At the end of his shift, he walked to his quarters and found the security guard gone. He ordered his dinner via Yeoman Rand who brought it on a tray and placed it on his desk. With a smile and wink she asked if she could bring him anything else and he answered no. She left with a flouncy walk.

As he ate his dinner, Spock browsed his information on the relationships between the Klingons and the Romulans. Their relationship was strained at times, dangerous at other times, but mostly they fed off each other for many reasons. The situation between the two empires could be yet another example of a symbiotic relationship that at times, went wrong. Once he had finished his food, he pushed the tray away and called for the Yeoman to take it away. While he waited for Yeoman Rand to arrive, he went to work researching the Romulans and the neutral zone treatise. The most striking thing about the Romulans were their visible resemblance to his own species, the Vulcans. The Romulans, however, were prone to emotional outbursts, sensualism and great fits of anger, they were ruthless, cunning, sly and untrustworthy. Romulans were guided by their greed and ambition and were very war-like. It was highly probable that the Romulans were distant cousins of the Vulcans who preferred to not be guided by logic but instead distained logic. As for the Klingons, they were a warrior race with tendencies to murderous vengeance. Klingons often conquered worlds and starved the inhabitance while looting their resources completely. Once the inhabitance were weakened and all but dead, they would swoop down upon them and take their world away, murdering and slaughtering every living survivor of the famine. For these two races to work together would mean death and destruction for, possibly, whole galaxies.

Spock called the captain and requested a meeting in the situation room, this was going to be educational for everyone.


	7. Down To Business

The situation room was abuzz with officers voicing questions when Spock entered the room. He took his place, as the officer who called the meeting, at the head of the table and as he sat, Dr. McCoy entered the room and demanded to know why they had all been called together. Uhura doodled on her tablet, waiting for the meeting to actually begin.

"Spock! Why aren't you in your quarters? And what the devil is this meeting for anyway?" Kirk, looking tired and exasperated, looked to Spock for an answer. Scotty chose to wait and listen and Chekov's mind was on the new ensign that worked on level 6 with the big blue eyes and the big...he grinned.

"Doctor, if you will be seated, I will begin our meeting." McCoy seated himself to the left of Spock and clamped his jaws so he would not say anything he would regret.

"Captain, I've been sifting through all of the available data on the Klingons and the Romulans and I believe we must proceed with great caution. Each of these races are highly emotional, highly volatile, and are warrior races. Usually, they do not prefer to work with one another, however, when there is something large to be gained they will acquiesce to tolerate the others help. If they have decided to work with one another, there is a large payoff at the end of it all. That payoff could be our portion of the galaxy. Together, these two peoples could rule our galaxy and possibly more."

Kirk did not disagree with Spock, most of this was common knowledge, but he wanted to hear the a solution to the problem. "That's fascinating Spock, but what do we do about it." 

Spock's brow shot up and he looked nonplussed. Why did the Captain not see the obvious? "We must not declare war on the Klingons or the Romulans until we have discovered their plans."

Kirk nodded, it was logical. "Alright. How do we do that?" Spock sighed loudly. Humans were, at times, rather dense.

"I would think that was obvious. I shall infiltrate the Romulan empire disguised as a Romulan." Kirk hit the roof!   
"Absolutely not! Spock you're still recovering from a very serious mental breakdown and you want me to send you into a dangerous situation?" McCoy could hold his tongue no longer.

"Of all the insane ideas you've ever had in the name of logic, THIS one takes the cake! You can't go galavanting into enemy territory until you've been cured of your delusions! Its only been a day or two and already you think you're cured?"

"Doctor, there is no need for emotional displays. I merely suggested that I would be the logical choice for the mission. If you can do better, by all means, please do."

McCoy slapped his hand on the table and growled. Spock knew he was the only one who could pull it off. 

"Bones, I'd like to speak with the psychiatrists about Spock's condition and I want to see Dr. M'Benga too. If there's any possibility that this could be bad for him or get him killed, I won't agree to it. Fair enough, Spock?" Spock nodded.

"Uhura, get a line to Starfleet's Admiral Jensen and patch it through to my quarters. Spock, McCoy, you're with me. Chekov, hold us at the border of the neutral zone until further orders. Dismissed."

Kirk entered his quarters, Spock and McCoy behind him. The com beeped and Uhura's voice chimed out; "Captain Kirk, Admiral Jensen of Starfleet command is on line 2, encoded. I'll patch him through." 

"Thank you Lieutenant!"

"Admiral Jensen! How are you Sir?"

An older blond man appeared on the screen, his face care worn. He smiled but his smile was not genuine. He was worried.

"Kirk, what's going on out there?"

"Sir, my fist officer has a plan and I wanted authorization to implement it, should it prove to be necessary." Jensen looked confused for a moment and said, "Your first officer? Mister Spock? But isn't he out of commission for awhile?"

"Yes sir, he is. But he is improving." Jensen thought for a second and said, "What was his plan?"

"He wants permission to infiltrate the Romulan Empire to discover the reasons that the Klingons and the Romulans are working together." Jensen shook his head. 

"This is a mistake Kirk. Spock needs time to recover. If he should get into any trouble, goodness knows what he could do. No, I don't like it." Kirk agreed with the Admiral, but there might be a time when Spock would have to be the sacrificial lamb. He hated to think about it, but it was true.

"Admiral, I agree with you, but if needs must...?" The Admiral knew there was more at stake than Spock's mental problems. He knew he could not absolutely forbid Spock or Kirk from implementing this plan should the need arise. 

"Kirk, if it becomes necessary, I give my permission, BUT only if it is necessary." Kirk nodded. "Thank you Admiral. We'll use our discretion in making our decision. Kirk out."

Kirk, exhausted, lay his head on his desk and said, "Well, Spock it looks as though you may get your wish. I need sleep."

McCoy took a hypo out and jabbed the Captain in the arm with a "SSSHSHSHSHSH" sound. Kirk jerked awake with a surprise expression, "BONES! What did you do? I've got work to do!" 

"You've got sleep to get. You'll only be out for an hour or two. Spock can handle things until you're up." Kirk slumped in his chair. Spock and McCoy pulled him out of his seat and lay him on his bed and left.

"Well, Spock. Looks like you're in command for a little while. What's your first order going to be?" Spock, with his arms behind his back stated, "I am going to the bridge and I'm ordering Chekov to take us across the Romulan neutral zone and back to the planet I was on before all of this began." McCoy didn't like that idea at all. "Are you out of your Vulcan mind? The Admiral gave you permission only if it was inevitable! It has not become inevitable YET!"

"Doctor, I know what is necessary and I know what I must do. If you have any misgivings or objections, you must write it down in your report to Starfleet. Now, I suggest you return to sickbay and do your job." Spock quickened his pace to the turbo lift and McCoy stood in the corridor, wide eyed and fearful of what Spock may do.

On the bridge, Spock exited the turbo lift with issuing orders while the bridge crew sat in their seats looking thoroughly confused and unsure if they should follow his orders or not. "Mr. Chekov, I am in temporary command while the Captain gets some needed rest. You must set a course for the planet I was on, just across the Romulan Neutral zone at warp 6." Chekov glanced at Sulu who looked worried. "Mister Spock, we were not informed by the Ceptain that you were to be in commend." 

"Mister Chekov, I have given you a direct order. Are you refusing to obey it?" Chekov thought about it carefully before answering, "No sir." 

"Then I suggest you follow it immediately, there is no time to waste."

"Yes Meester Spock." Chekov set the coordinates for the planet across the neutral zone and Sulu set the controls for warp 6. Both men were perspiring nervously.


	8. Into The Romulan Neutral Zone

The Enterprise crossed into the Romulan Side of the Neutral Zone as Spock busied himself with calculations. It was one hour since Kirk had been forced to sleep by Doctor McCoy and he knew he only had one hour left to accomplish his mission. Spock was going to infiltrate the Romulans and discover why they were working with the Klingons and what their plans were for the Sol system. Several more minutes of silence passed before Spock stood and handed temporary command over to Scotty. 

"Mister Scott, you are in command. I will prepare myself for the mission, then I will take a shuttlecraft to the sixth planet in the system and call for assistance. When the Captain awakens, please inform him of my absence and explain that I am waiting for a Romulan ship to rescue me." Scotty nodded, not truly convinced that any of this was a good idea.

"Mister Spock, how are ya' plannin' on gettin' back with the Enterprise when yer mission is over?" Spock took a deep breath, "That will present a problem Mister Scott, but, nevertheless, I shall return to the Enterprise. Remain on the Federation side of the neutral zone until you hear from me." Scott nodded again. "Aye Sir."

Spock headed to the ship's stores to retrieve a Romulan uniform and then headed to the shuttlebay to procure a means of transportation to the planet. His story would be simple but direct. He would tell the Romulans that he had been captured and tortured by the Federation and that he had stolen a shuttlecraft and escaped. The shuttlecraft had been damaged in the meteor field and he crashed landed on the sixth planet and sent out a distress beacon. His name would be Praetor Kraylor.

Just as the shuttlecraft was fifteen hundred kilometers away from the Enterprise, he heard Kirk's voice over the Com. "SPOCK! GET BACK HERE! THAT'S AN ORDER! SPOCK!" Spock ignored the call and continued to the sixth planet in the system.

Down on the planet, Spock had approximately twenty minutes to damage the nacelle of the shuttecraft just enough to make it appear to be meteor damaged. Then, using a Romulan "tricorder"- type device, he transmitted a distress call to any Romulan ships within receiving range, to rescue him on the sixth planet. Once this was done, he set to work lighting a fire to warm himself as the sun was setting and it was becoming steadily colder. Patience was a requirement in the Vulcan way of life. 

Back on the Enterprise, Kirk was furious with McCoy and Mister Scott. "Bones! How could you do it? How could you drug me so I couldn't be in command? This was a crucial time in the mission and you put me to sleep? AND YOU!" He said, pointing at Scotty. "You let Spock out of here, knowing what he's been like, what he's been going through and now he's in Romulan territory and he's in danger!" Mr. Scott took offence at the suggestion that this was his fault and he answered, "Beggin' yer pardon Captain, but Mister Spock is a big boy AND he was in command. I couldna' stopped him if ah had tried! Ahnd, for the record, ah did try tah make sense to him, but he wouldna' listen tah me!" 

Kirk put his hand up. He knew they were right, Spock had a mind of his own and he was stubborn. Still, it galled him that he could not be there to stop Spock himself. He looked at both men and said, "I'm sorry I lost my temper...but if you ever...!" He said to McCoy who put his head down contritely. "Jim, you needed the rest. How was I to know Spock would be able to implement this crazy idea of his that fast?" 

"You couldn't, and that's why I needed to stay awake!" Everyone nodded to each other in agreement.

After a two hour wait, a Romulan rescue party arrived to collect Spock or Praetor Kraylor as he was to be known. They approached him with the usual chest thump and outstretched arm salute and he responded in kind. He knew his lack of emotions would give him away so he worked hard to show the emotions he was supposed to be suppressing. It was distressing and confusing, but he was confident he could pull it off. They transported back to the Romulan war bird and he was greeted in similar fashion and questioned relentlessly about his captivity by the humans. Spock's story remained constant.

"You SAY you were captured by the Federation and tortured, but you do not appear to be harmed in any way. How do you account for your lack of physical injury?" Spock forced a smile. "I said I was tortured, I did not say it was physical." The Praetor stared into his eyes, hard and said, "What did they do to you? EXACTLY." Spock began to account his mental torture at the hands of the Federation and was most explicit about mind control and threats to have him eliminated in ways that would disgrace the Romulan Empire. The Praetor cringed. "What secrets did you divulge to them during your torture?" Spock laughed out loud. "NONE! They could not break me!" Everyone in the room laughed loudly and slapped him on the back for his bravery. "How then, Praetor Kraylor, did you escape your captors?" Spock leaned forward, staring into the old Praetor's eyes and said, "I acquired one of their phasor weapons and I killed everyone I met until I could get to the shuttlecraft. They fired upon me many times, but I evaded them and as I left, I blew their facility apart with a targeted phasor blast to their main frame. They will not follow and they will never wish to see my face again." The old man considered his words and their impact and he lay a hand on Spock's shoulder and said, "Well done, Praetor, well done!"

For many hours the room full of Romulans drank and celebrated the return of their brave Praetor Kraylor. Spock continued to pore his Romulan ale down an open pipe, hoping it would not be discovered. The Romulans were quite inebriated by 13:00 hours and when they had all passed out, Spock accessed their main computer and downloaded their data base into a drive he brought for the occasion. He hid the drive in the tunic of the uniform he wore and quietly made his way to a life pod, where he attempted to jettison himself into space. However, a centurion intercepted him and put him in the brig until the old Praetor could be revived to deal with the traitor himself. 

It was morning before the old man awoke to hear the news and as he pulled his boots up over his foot, he mumbled to himself about being a foolish old man who should go back to Romulus and retire in comfort. He grumbled all the way to the brig to find Praetor Kraylor sitting on a bench, waiting for his execution. 

"And what do you have to say for your actions?" Spock stood at attention and said, "I merely wished to return to my family before my next assignment. Since the crew were unable to comply, I decided to do it myself." Praetor squinted at him. "Do you believe you are in control of your own destiny? Are you not a subject and soldier of the Romulan Empire? You will be reprimanded and held in irons until a trial can be convened for your crime of desertion. You are now branded a traitor to the Romulan Empire!" Spock nodded. This was irony at it's best. He was neither Romulan, nor a traitor, but he would most likely suffer the punishment nonetheless. 

For several days, Spock languished in the brig of the Romulan war bird. The food was unlike any he had ever eaten, it contained animal flesh and gave him physical discomfort, for while Romulans ate flesh freely, Vulcans avoided it at all cost and even his human half could not stomach the meat either. He often envied the humans aboard the Enterprise for their abilities to eat nearly everything that was put before them with no ill effects. He passed the time in his cell computing his chances of escaping and succeeding. At the moment, his chances were 1343.2 to 1 and those were odds he did not like. He waited for better odds.

The Enterprise sat by the Romulan Neutral zone, waiting. Starfleet command had ordered that they do _something_ but there was little they could do until Spock was rescued. Kirk thought it over many times in his mind. They could go into the Neutral zone, find Spock and rescue him themselves, but they would probably start an interstellar war in the process. That hardheaded Vulcan was probably going to get himself killed and for what? As far as they knew, it was for nothing. If he ever saw Spock alive again, he was going to give him a stern talking to and probably lock him up until he finished his therapy, at least. For the past two weeks, Kirk spent his days wringing his hands and pacing the decks, waiting for some sign that Spock was alive. He knew that Spock would not waist any oppotunity he got to signal the Enterprise but why was he not doing it? 

Kirk came to the conclusion that Spock was dead. It had been far too long and there had been no sign, no signal, no communication, nothing! Perhaps it was time for the Enterprise to leave and go to their next assignment, without Spock. Kirk could not force himself to do it. He had to wait, just a little while longer.

The time came for Spock's trial and as the centurion came to escort him to the situation room, Spock mentioned something to the centurion about a spot on his uniform and as the centurion turned his head to look, Spock gave him a nerve pinch and relieved him of his disruptor. Placing it in his sash, he quietly walked to the life-pod, climbed inside and ejected it, speeding off toward the border of the neutral zone.


	9. On The Edge Of Oblivion

Five hours after his escape, Spock docked the shuttlecraft in the bay and was greeted with a furious Captain, accompanied by McCoy who was prepared to make Spock pay for leaving him to take the blame. Kirk yelled all the way to the turbo-lift and Spock was beginning to get annoyed when McCoy took pity on him.

"Jim, at least he got the information we needed and now we can get on with the duty at hand." Kirk looked at Spock and considered McCoy's words. "Well, Spock? Did you get the information we need?"

"I believe so, sir. However, I must review the data I collected to be sure." Kirk sighed. "Very well Mister Spock. **BUT** if you EVER do that again, I'll put you in the brig for the rest of your career and up until you are an old Vulcan!" Then, as he stepped off the turbo-lift, he turned and said, "Welcome home." 

"Thank you Captain. Doctor." Spock walked to his console and inserted the hard drive into it's cradle and began to sift through the Romulan data base. The information was extensive and would take several hours. 

Kirk kept a wary eye on Spock. His condition seemed stable enough and he had pulled of a very difficult mission on his own, and made it back to the Enterprise in one piece. Perhaps he was worried for nothing. It was hours before Spock offered any information for his Captain. Kirk was beginning to believe he had not succeeded after all.

"Captain! I have found something I believe you will find interesting." Kirk shifted his weight to his right hip and listened. "What is it, Mister Spock?"

"It seems the Romulan Empire have been seeking a specific ore for the purpose of building a new weapon. The weapon is to be used against Earth. The Klingon Empire agreed to help, for a price. The Klingons want the plans for this new weapon for their own use." Kirk got a cold chill up and down his spine. If both empires were able to build this weapon, Earths chances of defending itself was extremely low. "What ore are they looking for?" He asked.

"It is an ore that does not exist on our table of elements yet, but the data base lists the meteor field as a possible location for it." Kirk nodded. "Well done Mister Spock. You've earned your pay for the day. Now go to your quarters and get some rest. Mister Chekov, take over for Mister Spock." Spock looked incensed. He did not feel a need for rest, if anything he needed exercise. "Captain! I am well able to continue. I have been in a Romulan brig for several days and then several hours in the shuttlecraft." Kirk dropped his head and, swinging it up to relieve the tightness in his shoulders, he said, "Spock. Bed. Now." Spock nodded and headed slowly to the turbo-lift.

Kirk thought for several minutes, what could be done to stop these two empires from slaughtering millions on Earth? He felt helpless again and that was a state he did not wish to be in. Surely there was an answer. "Uhura! Put a call in to Starfleet Command! Scramble the signal." Uhura acknowledged his command and within a minute she had a channel to Starfleet command. Opening hailing frequencies, she nodded to her captain and he said, "Starfleet, this is Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. Acknowledge!"

"Kirk! It's Admiral Kahlo here. How are things going at the Neutral Zone?" Kirk took a very deep breath and answered, "We have some very disturbing news sir. The Romulan Empire and the Klingon Empire are working together to gather an ore on our side of the Neutral Zone to construct a new weapon to destroy Earth. I am unsure as to how to proceed, but proceed I must, and soon. If these two empires succeed, the entire galaxy will be in danger. We have a very large job to do and we must do it...no matter how distasteful or dangerous it will be. I'll be in touch again in a few days."

"Kirk, all our hopes and prayers go with you. Earth is counting on you. Kahlo out." Kirk nodded to Uhura again who cut the transmission. Kirk felt the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders...but he knew their galaxy was not the only one counting on the success of the crew of the Enterprise. Sometimes, the stress and tension was enough to blow his shoulder muscles apart. He thought it may be a good idea to visit the sickbay for a muscle relaxant. McCoy always had something that could get him through a mission without injuring himself.

In sickbay, McCoy was staring into an atomic microscope, he paused to look over his shoulder when Kirk entered the room. "What can I do for you, Jim?" Kirk smiled and grabbed his shoulder and rubbed. "I got a kink here that just won't loosen up and I've got a mission that promises to rip that kink right out if I'm not careful. Got anything to loosen me up?" McCoy cringed. "You know the best thing for it is exercise, why don't you go down to the gym and take your frustrations out on a muscled up security guard?"

"Bones, I don't have time to beat up security guards. The Klingons and the Romulans are working together to destroy Earth with a super weapon. If I don't concentrate on this problem and find a solution, my muscle kink won't matter!" McCoy understood but he did not like to give out medicines to the captain like candy. Especially after the balling out he got for putting him to sleep for two hours while Spock got away and infiltrated the Romulan ship. No, Kirk would have to find another way to relieve his stress, he just hoped it would not be relieved by using him as a punching bag. "Jim, believe me, you don't need stimulants, you don't need relaxants and you don't need me. Go do some stretching and some boxing and take a few falls and you'll feel much better. No drugs." Kirk shot him a stern look of disappointment and headed to the gym. 

When he entered the gym, he saw his favorite security guard and sparring partner, Sam. "Sam! You up for some throws or something?" Sam, a large beefy man with arms like oak trees, laughed and said, "You in the mood for a beatin' Captain?" Kirk smiled. Sam was a happy fellow who loved a joke. Often, others mistook his jokes combined with his size, to be challenges, but Kirk knew Sam well and took no offense to his jibes. The two men sparred and threw one another around the room for thirty minutes before Kirk decided it was time to lift weights. Toweling off the sweat, he lifted over 90 kilos in reps of 10. When he had finished, his shoulder was on fire! He dressed and marched to sickbay. "BONES!" McCoy appeared from around the corner. "Yes?" "What the devil have I done to my shoulder?" McCoy scanned him and grimaced. "It would appear that you've pulled a muscle." 

"Bones...I told you I need a muscle relaxant!" McCoy nodded and fetched one.


	10. The Worse Is yet To Come

As was determined previously, Kirk was tired and he was concerned...but mostly, he was perplexed. What could he do that would not start an interstellar war? He knew the Klingons were back across the Neutral Zone and they were searching for the ore the Romulans needed. An idea crept into his mind and he began to smile. He called Scotty to his side and said, "Scotty, do you know where the USS Hood is stationed at this time?" Scotty thought for a second and answered, "Ah believe its docked at Alpha Centauri for supplies at the moment. Their Engineer, Lt. Commander McIsaac sent me ah message yesterday ahn he said that's where they'd be." 

  
"Uhura, get me the Hood on 3." Uhura nodded and acknowledged his request.  


"USS Hood, this is the Starship Enterprise calling. Please acknowledge." She repeated this several times before there was an answer.

  
"Enterprise, this is USS Hood. What can we do for you?"

  
"Captain Kirk would like to speak to your captain."

  
"Captain Maroney speaking. Kirk! What can I do for you?" Kirk smiled as he took the call.

  
"Jack! I need your help, I was wondering if you were available to meet me at the border of the Neutral zone?" There was a few seconds of silence before Captain Maroney answered. "The Neutral Zone? What have you gotten yourself into now?"

  
"It's important, but bring a lab ship and a geologist with you. I'll fill you in when you get here!" Captain Maroney, laughed. "You don't want much, do you!"

  
"I wouldn't ask, Jack, if it wasn't important." 

  
"I know you wouldn't. We'll be there in approximately twelve hours." Kirk grimaced. "Can you pour it on and get here in 6?"   
"Sure, I'll give it my best shot! Maroney out!"

The Captain of the USS Hood did not inspire confidence in Kirk. He sat in the command seat, thinking furiously of plan two, in case the Hood did not make it in time.

The plan Kirk had concocted, could be pulled off utilizing his own crew, but it would be much more effective with a second starship and a lab ship. Meanwhile, Chekov kept a keen eye on the comings and goings of the Klingons as they gathered the ore. Kirk wanted to go in, phasers blazing and just blow them out of the sky, but that was not something you did when you wanted to avoid war, so he chose to keep the Enterprise hidden until the Hood arrived. The wait was the killer.

Spock left his quarters against orders again and appeared at the turbo-lift doors on the bridge. "Spock, you ready for some work?"

"Yes sir. I believe I am able to work." Kirk nodded and gestured to the science station and Spock took his place. 

An hour passed quickly and Kirk felt it was time to reveal his plan to his senior crewman. He called a meeting in the situation room and when he and Spock arrived, the others were waiting.

"Gentlemen, I've called you here to let you in on a plan I've got to stop the Klingons and the Romulans from destroying our galaxy." McCoy crossed his arms and said, "Well it's about time. I'm gettin' tired of hangin' out here in space waiting." 

"Aye! Ahn muh engines have been repaired, serviced, updated, recoiled, spit n' polished, ahn ahm still waitin' fuh them tah be put tah good use!" Scotty said, with his chin in his hand.

"Spock? Where's your commentary?" Spock sat with his eyebrow cocked and said,

"I have none. I am merely waiting to hear your plan."

"Excellent! Here it is!..." 

Five hours later, the USS Hood pulled along side the Enterprise and Captain Moroney beamed aboard and greeted Kirk and Spock with a smile. "What's your plan, Jim?" Kirk filled him in and while the men laughed and mulled over the plan, Spock readied the geologist to pull of his part of the plan. All was going very well.

At 18:00 hours, all of the pieces to the plan were prepared and ready. The lab ship was kitted with assaying equipment and the Enterprise had gleaned every ounce of the ore, now known as Crilvicite. The Klingons would have a difficult time finding any in the meteor field the next time they crossed the Neutral Zone. The lab ship parked itself right outside the meteor field and waited, while the Enterprise and the Hood remained hidden, but close.

At 21:00 hours, the Klingons had returned for more ore. They scanned the field and, finding no ore, they ran their ship into the field with no apparent concern for their safety. Still finding nothing, the Klingons discovered the lab ship and Kirk's plan was finally put into action.

"Alien ship, we are warriors of the Klingon Empire and we demand to know why you are here!" Geologist Farnum, a small unimposing man of fifty, answered the Klingon's call with a meek voice and thick glasses. "Greetings Klingons! I am Farnum, a geologist from Alpha Centauri. What can I do for you?" The Klingon looked as though he was going to blow a gasket but he managed to keep his cool, to a Klingon extent. "YOU can do NOTHING for ME! WHAT are YOU doing here?" Farnum pushed the bridge of his glasses up the length of his nose and squinted myopically at the Klingon. "I have made a discovery here that may benefit the entire universe! A new ore I have called Crilvicite and I am refining the ore to it's purist form. What are you looking for? Perhaps I can help." The Klingon Commander made a snuffling noise through his nose and stammered in anger. "You have what I want and I will have it NOW!" Farnum pushed his glasses up again and said, "If you would like some Crilvicite, I'll be happy to give it to you, I'll even purify it for you!" The Klingon thought about this for a second or two and answered, "Do it then. Of course you will want us to have it all and for FREE!" Farnum made a slight guffaw and said, "But this is the only place I have found this ore. I must have some of it or it will do me no good." "ALL OF IT, OR YOUR LIFE!" Farnum nodded meekly. 

The geologist played his part well by stalling the entire process by several hours and when the Klingons had enough of waiting, he informed them that he was finished and that they now had twenty-two hundred kilograms at their disposal. The Klingons were ready to take possession of it and they boarded the lab ship, breaking everything they could get their hands on and holding the geologist at disrupter point until they could take their ill gotten booty with them. Once they had gone, the Enterprise and the Hood came out of hiding and congratulated Farnum for a superb performance. Now, all they could do was wait.

Several more days passed until Lieutenant Uhura picked up a message on her com station, the Romulans and the Klingons were out for blood and planning on crossing the Neutral zone to take it!


	11. The End Is Near

Auxiliary Control was warmer than the rest of the ship, it was enclosed and housed several very powerful computers. Spock felt at home in Auxiliary Control. He sat at the computer and programmed the computer to act automatically in a battle, to raise shields against attack. It was his assigned busy work and he knew it. The Captain wanted it done and it was his job to do it, so he did. He needed the time alone to assess his life and what it was developing into. The self control he was regaining was not enough to keep him from thinking about Lieutenant Genara in a romantic way and he did not look forward to the time when he would come face-to-face with her once again. He placed a tape in the computer terminal and it came to life with noise. He loaded the programs algorithms and the computer spoke in that female voice;  
"The program has been added to the Enterprise data base. Please specify the parameters for operation during a battle crisis."   
Spock typed in the parameters, his mind on other things. He was thinking about a soft body, scented hair and sweet tasting kisses. He shook his head to clear it and checked his calculations. He had mistyped a number and he fixed it. His body longed for the closeness of a woman and one woman in particular. How was he ever going to be the Vulcan he was before?   
"Parameters have been set. Please specify timing and shield strength in numerical form."  
As he programmed the computer, he began to feel a weakening in his resolve, surely there was a way for him to strengthen himself against any temptation he would be faced with in the future.   
"Timing and shield strength have been set. Set locking procedure to maintain your progress."  
He pushed a red button and flipped a switch on the aux panel.   
"Locking procedure has been set and your progress has been saved."  
He retrieved the tape and proceded to the shield generator and inserted the second tape. The computer began to make a high pitched whine and blip. Lights flashed in red, orange and blue and green before the generator said;  
"Shields have been recalibrated to your specifications. Locking procedure is set and your parameters are in place."  
Next, Spock moved to the phaser banks and recalibrated them to fire through the shields. As he worked he continued to think about what he was missing and who he was missing. It was getting serious and he knew it. When the Klingon/Romulan crisis was over, he would utilize all of his personal energy to build his resistence and strength against these thoughts and feelings that assailed him every hour of every day. He feared he was becoming more human than Vulcan and that was not what he wanted.  
Now that the new programs were in place and locked, he was needed on the bridge.  
  
  
  
On deck 3, the turbo-lift opened to allow for another passenger. Genara stood in the corridor, her eyes wide, Spock felt his knees weaken. "I'm sorry sir, I need to go back to my quarters for something, sorry to stop the turbo-lift." She turned to leave. "Lieutenant! Wait!" She stopped and turned slowly to face him. "Sir?"   
"You need not avoid me. I am quite well." Spock lied.  
"Are you certain, sir?" Yes...he lied again.  
"Very well." She stepped into the turbo-lift and kept her back to him, her eyes on the doors like an animal about to be released from a cage. Spock watched her, breathed in her scent and closed his eyes in pleasure. "Lieutenant, I would like to apologize once again for my actions. I was not myself. I would also like to say that I will always treasure the time we spent together in my quarters." Genara was not sure how to respond. She wanted to tell him how much she treasured it too, but then there was the time he held her captive and kidnapped her, taking her to an alien planet across the Neutral Zone. "That's quite alright sir, I understand." He nodded, feeling empty.  
The turbo-lift opened at deck 7 and Genara took a step forward to exit. Spock took her elbow and pulled her back inside, and as the turbo-lift closed its doors, he ordered it to stop between decks.  
"I cannot allow you to leave without telling you, I have not been the same since we...Please, if you feel anything for m...I love you." Genara was not unhappy in his presence and since she and Scotty had parted company, she had been thinking about Spock more every day. Still, she was concerned about his mental health and knew she had to be careful. "Mister Spock, I will not lie to you. I do think about that day and our time together. I think about you too, but I have to know that you are well and that I'm not contributing to your illness." Spock let go of her arm, feeling insecure. "I'm sorry. I merely felt the need to tell you. I understand if you are not interested." She relaxed. "I am interested." Spock looked her in the eyes. Perhaps there was hope.

  
  
He activated the turbo-lift and allowed her to leave. She smiled as she left.

On the bridge, Spock stumbled slightly as he crossed to his computer. Kirk noticed, but chose to let it go, for now. The Klingons and the Romulans were heading closer to the border of the Neutral Zone and Kirk knew he and his crew had to have their minds on the business at hand or they could all be killed. He sat in his chair, pounding his fist on the arm rest, absentmindedly, while his orders to the crew were being carried out.

Captain Maroney called to Kirk, "Enterprise? Kirk, this is Maroney. I've got the Exeter on the way to give us a hand, they'll be here around the same time the Klingons and Romulans show up. Captain Dorset says when it's all over, he wants to have a poker game between us and his first officer. He reckons he'll wipe the decks with us!" Kirk smiled, "I don't know about you, but I take offense to that!" Maroney answered, "Not only am I offended, I'm afraid he's right!" Kirk laughed. "Lets get our ships into position. I'll see you on the other side!" "Maroney out!"

Across the Neutral Zone, a blip appeared on the sensors, then another. Sulu noted that the two blips were running side-by-side and were headed straight for the border. Kirk sat up straight in his seat. "When will they arrive, Mister Sulu?" 

"In approximately one hour and 20 minutes." 

"Thank you Mister Sulu. Keep an eye on them and let me know if there are any changes."

"Aye Captain."

For one hour, the Enterprise waiting beyond the meteor field and behind a moonlet within the meteor field. They ran silent and used only those systems which were vital to their survival, such as life support. The crew were hard pressed to take a deep breath for fear of making undo noise and giving away their position. 

Sulu reported the two ships in range of the viewer and crossing the border of the Neutral Zone and Kirk went into action. He ordered Spock to be prepared to activate his new program for the shields at the first sign of trouble. Spock acknowledge his order and waited, his black eyes glinting from the light of his console. As the two ships neared the meteor field, Chekov sneezed loudly! Kirk jumped to his feet and stared at the Ensign hard! Chekov's eyes were wide with fear, but it seemed that the ships had detected nothing, they passed by the moonlet and continued on their way. 

"Captain!" Uhura whispered loudly. "They're hailing us! It's a general hail, they don't know where we are but they suspect we are close!" Kirk nodded, "Keep it low." 

"Earthship! We KNOW you are there! Come out and fight like warriors, not children!" Kirk smirked, Klingons were so predictable. "We are here to take what is ours! We will destroy you and your planet! The Klingon and Romulan empires will be victorious!"

The Romulans chimed in with their own opinion; "Klingon Commander, do not concern yourself with the Earthers. We should continue with our mission, regardless of their presence. They are nothing but Denebien slime devils, they are unimportant." This, of course, was their way of provoking the "Earthers" into a fight, but the Federation ships remained silent.

The Klingon ship shot its phasers at a meteor, looking for the Crilvocite. This was what the starships were waiting for, Spock confirmed there was a large stockpile of the ore in their hold and they still had the ore that was processed by the geologist. This ore was, of course, processed and purified badly. It was a sign post that the Klingons did not know what they had in their possession. Kirk ordered Sulu to take the Enterprise out from its hiding place and into view.

As the Enterprise came into sight, the Romulans turned their war bird about and faced their enemy, the Enterprise. The Klingon ship followed suit.

"Earthers! Welcome to your destruction!" Kirk answered their call. "Welcome Romulans and Klingons, to YOUR destruction!" As he said this, the Hood and the Exeter joined the Enterprise. The faces of the opposition changed from cocky and superior to outraged and enraged. 

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is OUR side of the Neutral Zone. Why are you here?" Kirk spoke politely but with a sarcastic tone. The Klingon commander opened his mouth to speak, "We have RIGHT to come here!" 

"NO, you do NOT. Now I suggest you prepare to be boarded!" Both Romulan and Klingon commanders sat opening and closing their mouths like haddock out of water. They surrendered without incident. After boarding their ships and retrieving the Crilvocite, Kirk, Maroney, and Dorset, escorted the ships into the neutral zone and confiscated the weapon they had been developing for the destruction of Earth and her surrounding planets. 

After the mission had ended the three captains and the first officer of the Exeter sat down for a game of poker. Kirk invited Spock to observe so that someday, he and Spock could play against McCoy and Scott. Spock watched the progression of the game, but his mind was on a certain Lieutenant with soft eyes and a warm body. As the evening progressed and the chronometer showed midnight, Spock excused himself to return to his quarters for some rest. He entered his quarters with a heavy sigh and felt the fatigue in his joints unlike anything he had ever experienced. He sat upon his bed and removed his boots. He slipped his shirt over his head and sat on the edge of the mattress, thinking. The door to his quarters slid open and Genara walked in. She stood at the door, looking at him, shirtless. Spock smiled. Before any words were spoken, he stood and took her hand in his and said, 'Lieutenant. Genara...Will you be my wife?" She smiled warmly and lovingly. "Yes. I would be honored to be your wife, Mister Spock." 

"Call me Spock. We have no need of formalities here." He kissed her hungrily as she leaned into his body. 

The night was filled with love and in the morning, Spock arose and went directly to sickbay and bid Dr. McCoy to call for the Captain to join them. Kirk arrived, looking hungry and a bit hungover. "What is it Bones? I had at least two hours left to sleep!" McCoy shrugged and gestured with his thumb to Spock.

"Spock? What is it?"

"Captain, I request permission to be married to Lieutenant Genara immediately." Both men looked at Spock with shock.

"Spock! Do you know what you're doing?" Spock walked calmly around the two and said, "I have asked her and she has agreed. We wish to be married as soon as possible."

"Spock! After all that's happened? Are you sure you want to go there? What if it doesn't work out? How will you handle losing her again?"

"Jim, I presume to wished to ask, 'How WOULD I handle losing her again.' There is no certainty that she will leave me." 

"I apologize Spock. I didn't mean to say 'will'. But you must understand why we are so concerned. You haven't been yourself for quite some time and you ARE a Vulcan! You're supposed to be living by logic not emotions!"

"YOU forget, I am half human and I DO have feelings. Logic is something one acquires, not something one is born with. I can regain my logic faster if I am not bothered by feelings of ambivalence. She has agreed to be my wife. I have agreed to be her husband. In this union, there is no ambivalence, only security and strength. It is the logical thing to do."

Kirk had no argument for Spock's logic. McCoy on the other hand had something to say, as usual. "Spock you're crazy if you think getting married to this girl is going to cure you of your problems! If anything it will only add to them! You should attempt to get well before you embark on a marriage of any kind, but especially one with a human girl!"

Kirk nodded, "Right! Take your time, get better and then make the decision!" 

Spock became impatient. "Will you give me permission or will you not?"

Kirk sighed. McCoy pursed his lips and rocked on his heals.

"Very well. You have my permission. But if you ever need a friend, I'll be here."

"Me too, what he said!" McCoy added.

"Thank you gentlemen. I would like to proceed to Vulcan immediately so my mother can prepare for the wedding. I would like to send a sub-space transmission to my parents, informing them of our up coming nuptials." He turned to face the two men and said, "Will you both be there?"

They looked at each other with smiles of resignation and answered, "We'll be honored to be there!" Spock nodded and left.

Spock and Genara were married in a Vulcan ceremony on the planet Vulcan surrounded by friends and family. When the ceremony had ended, the newlyweds were taken to a mountainside retreat where they spent their time in meditation for one week before returning to duty.

It was a month before Genara entered their quarters and said, "Husband. We are pregnant." Spock smiled and answered, "I do not feel pregnant, wife." With that, they two were on their way to becoming parents.

>Fin<

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This sequel to "The Vulcan Mind" may not be written in as detailed a way as part I, but it was intended to entertain and to show exactly what happened to Spock after his last Kohlinar.
> 
> I realize it is not high literature, and that I could have done much better, but I have other projects that must be done and I really just wanted to write this for fun. I missed my Spock!  
> Please be kind if you want to comment and make damned sure you have read both before you think you know what I was doing and what I meant by this or that.
> 
> Thank you for being a Trekkie/Trekker and for keeping Star Trek alive for the next generations!  
> Peace and Long Life, Live Long and Prosper!
> 
> 2_JeB_3 LLAP


End file.
